Power drive mechanism for apparatus for generating electrical energy



May 13, 1952 GENERATING ELECTRICAL ENERGY 2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 Filed Jan. 5, 1949 my %/ENT0R.5.

ygmw ATTORNEY .w t. J .IHH m x w 2 W]. m a" rllntl w 2 2 I A. ,v Q I. Z i A a a m is Q m N \L l l! N" N: I w m, mN N w mN m Q N m m N Q Q r WL ma N HH I .2 a a May 13, 1952 J. NAPOLI POWER DRIVE MECHANISM FOR APPARATUS FOR GENERATING ELECTRICAL ENERGY Filed Jan. 3, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented May 13, 1952 POWER DRIVE MECHANISM FOR APPARA- TUS FOR GENERATING ELECTRICAL EN- ERGY 1 John Napoli, Monterey, Calif.

Application January 3, 1949, Serial No. 68,990

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for generating electrical energy.

An object of the present invention is to provide new and improved apparatus embodying a hydraulically operated rotor which is arranged to impart rotary motion to a device carrying a number of circularly arranged nozzles for directing jets of water against the rotor, whereby the said device may be continuously rotated to operate an electrical generator or other mechanism.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved power plant of a type capable of being utilized to generate electrical energy or operate mechanical equipment, embodying novel means whereby a rotatable water distributing device equipped with a series of circularly arranged nozzles may be utilized to direct jets of water tangentially against a rotor, which upon being thereby rotated is adapted to impart rotary motion to the said device.

Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed out hereinafter, or will be indicated in the appendedclaims, or will be obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the present disclosure. For the purpose of this application I have elected to show herein certain forms and details of apparatus for generating electrical energy or operating mechanical equipment representative of my invention; it is to be understood, however, that the embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is for the purpose of illustration only, and that therefore it is not to be regarded as exhaustive of the variations my invention may assume.

In the accompanying drawings: I

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of apparatus embodying the. principles of my invention; I

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is asectional view taken on the line 4 -4 of Fig. 1.

Referring. to the drawings the numeral I designates a water tank in which a supply of water is maintained for the operation of the apparatus. Connected to the tank below the water'level aretwo lines 2 for conveying water to the inlet sides of electrically or other'suitably operated pumps 3. The discharge sides of the pumps are connected to conduits 4 which lead to the inlet ends of aligned rotatable pipes or tubular shafts 5. The abutting flanged ends of the conduits 4 and the pipes 5 are held against displacement by grooved plates 6 which are bolted to grooved bases or supports 1. The T- tatable pipes are axially connected to the opposite sides of a hollow water distributing member 8 which has a series of suitably spaced curved water discharge nozzles 9 secured thereon. The discharge nozzles 9 are substantially of the same shape and each has a restricted outlet opening 5 Claims. (Cl. 7472Q) at its outer end through which water under pressure is discharged with considerable velocity. The pipes 5 are rotatably supported in flanged stationary bearing members III which are secured to the supports I by means of thrust bearing plates II.

Rotatably supported on the stationary bearing members I0 and arranged in contacting relation with the supports 1 and arcuate members I2 are the hub portions I3 of a hollow rotor l4. The arcuate members I2 are secured to the thrust bearing plates II by screws or other means, and they are also bolted to the supports 7. Although not shown on the drawings suitable anti-friction bearings of the usual kind are provided between the pipes 5 and the stationary bearing members l0 and also between the hub portions I3 of the rotor I4 and both the stationary bearing members Ill and the supports I. The hub portions I3 of the rotor abut the thrust bearing plates II and suitable packing material of the usual kind is preferably provided where needed to prevent any water from passing outwardly between the bearing surfaces from the interior of the rotor I4.

The hollow rotor I4 is positioned in an en-v closing position with respect to the water distributing member 8 and its nozzles 9. At the periphery of the rotor I4 are arranged a plurality of suitably spaced deflector blades or members I5 which have uniformly curved surfaces I6 against which thewater discharged from the nozzles 9 impinge. The deflector blades I5 are suitablyspaced one from another so that water from the nozzles 9 upon striking their curved surfaces I6 passes outwardly without creating any back pressure which might retard the rotation of the rotor I4 or the water distributing member 8. Arranged around the upper portions'of the rotors periphery is a housing I! which intercepts the water deflected from the blades I5 of the rotor and causes it to be returned to the tank I which is positioned beneath and partially around the rotor.

The nozzles 9 are so uniformly shaped, constructed and arranged that they simultaneously discharge streams of water somewhat tangentially against the spaced peripheral deflector blades I5 of the rotor. The curved surfaces I6 of the said blades being positioned to intercept the streams of water discharged from the nozzles 9 are arranged so that when a stream from one nozzle passes across and from the surface of one blade it will immediately intercept and strike against the surface of the succeeding blade, and so on around the rotor. The force of the streams of water striking against the blades I5 causes the rotor I4 to rotate in a clockwise direction (Fig. 2). The discharge of water from the nozzles causes rotary motion in a counterclockwise direction to be imparted to the water distributing member 8 (Fig. 2).

Secured to the hub portions I3 of the rotor V the flanged portion of a stationary bearing member ID and to a disc 22 loosely mounted on a rotatable pipe 5. As shown in Figs. 3andfl there are four sets of gears l9 and 20 arranged in the opposite portions of the rotors hub. The smaller gears 20 are in mesh with ri gears 23 which are keyed to the pipes 5. It will therefore be noted that as the rotor I4 is rotated as previously described in aclockwise direction it will simultaneously impart rotary motion to the pipes 5 and the water distributing member 8 to rotate in the opposite direction. Keyed to the pipes 5 are circular gears 24 which are operatively engaged by similar gears 25, the latter being suitably connected to an electrical generator or other mechanism which is to be operated.

What I claim iszf 1. Apparatus of the class described comprising a hollow rotatable water distributing member mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and carrying a plurality of nozzles arranged in circularly spaced relation, the said water distributing member having axial water inlet openings in its opposite sides, horizontally disposed axial conduits secured to the opposite sides of the water'distributing member and having communication with the inlet openings of the said member, a rotatable hollow rotor surrounding the water distributing member and carrying peripheral blades arranged in circularly spaced relation, the said blades being positioned to intercept water discharged from the nozzles, mechanical means operatively connecting the conduits and the rotor, and means for supplying water under pressure to the conduits.

' 2. Apparatus-of the class described comprising a hollow rotatable water distributing member mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and carrying aplurality of outwardly projecting nozzles arranged in spaced circular'relation, the said nozzles being constructed and arranged to discharge streams of water outwardly and in sub-- stantially the opposite direction to the rotation of the water distributing 7 member, the said water distributing member having axial water inlet openings in its opposite sides, horizontally disposed axial conduits secured to the opposite sides :ofthe water distributing member and 'cularlyarranged spaced'blades carried by the rotor, the said blades being positioned to intercept the water discharged from the nozzles. mechanical means operatively connecting the rotor and the conduits, and means for supplying water under pressure to the conduits.

'3. In apparatus of the .kind described, a rotatable hollow water distributing member carrying a plurality of outwardly projecting nozzles arranged in spaced circular relation, the said nozzles having similarly curved outer end portions and being constructed and arranged to discharge streams of water outwardly and in substantially the opposite direction to the rotation of the said water distributing member, thesaid water distributing member having axial 4 V water inlet openings in its opposite sides, horizontal pipes secured axially to the opposite sides of the water distributing member and arranged in communication with the inlet openings, a hollow rotor enclosing the water distributing member and mounted for rotation in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the water.

distributing member, a number of spaced peripheral blades carried by the rotor and arranged to intercept the streams of water discharged by the nozzles, mechanical coupling means operatively connecting the water distributing mem ber and the rotor, whereby the said member and the rotor are simultaneously rotated means for supplying water under pressure to the pipes, and means connected to the water distributing member for operating a device.

' 4. In apparatus of the ,kind described, a rotatable hollow water distributing member mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and having inlet openings in its opposite sides and carrying a plurality of outwardly disposed spaced'nozzles arranged in a common vertical plane in circular formation and adapted to discharge streams of water outwardly and at an angle, thesaid nozzles having uniformly curved outer end portions, horizontal axial rotatable pipes secured axially to the opposite sides of the water distributing member and having communication with the inlet openings of the said member, a hollow rotor enclosing the water distributing member and mounted to rotate in a a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the water distributing member, a plurality of spaced peripheral blades carried by the rotor and arranged to intercept streams of water discharged by the nozzles, a water tank positioned beneath the rotor, means connected to the Water a device to be operated.

5, In apparatus of the kind described, a rotatable hollow water distributing member carry ing 'a plurality of outwardly disposed spaced nozzles arranged in circular formation and 1 adapted to dischargestreams of water outwardly and substantially in the same tangential directions, the said water distributing member,

having axial water inlet openings in its Op osite sides, a rotor enclosing the water distributing member and arranged for coaxial rotationzin'the opposite direction with respect to the said member, a plurality of circularly arranged. spaced peripheral blades carried 'by'the rotor and arranged to intercept the streams of water discharged from the nozzles, axial horizontal rotatable pipes secured axially to the opposite sides of the water distributing member and arranged in communication with the inlet openings thereof, and'means operatively connecting the axial pipes and the rotor.

'JOHN NAPOIJ. 1

Number Date Name 111,538 Herron .Febrfl, 18571 396,318 I Wolfe Jan. 15,1889 693,946 Boyce l neb..25,1902 

